Coast a chance for NRL clashes

THE Sunshine Coast could host regular NRL matches if the consortium bidding for a second team in Brisbane is successful.

Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles chief executive Justin Veivers confirmed the club had been in talks with the consortium which recently made public its bid to field an expansion team in the south east.

Veivers said it was possible the Coast could see a number of top-flight matches played at the newly built Stockland Park stadium if a deal could be struck.

“There has been some sounding out from both parties,” he told the Daily.

“But it’s nothing more than that at this stage.”

The (Sunshine Coast) Sea Eagles recently severed ties with NRL club Manly following a spat with the New South Wales Rugby League which prevented the Silvertails from sending fringe players north.

Veivers said it was unlikely the Coast would try to work out a feeder-relationship deal with the (new) Brisbane bid side if it was successful.

“From my point of view, it would be an ideal satellite operation for them,” he said.

“After what we’ve gone through in a feeder club arrangement, I’m not sure it works very well.

“It would be something more along the lines of the NRL club having a second division team based here which could be used for player development, fan base growing and for corporate opportunities, opposed to the main NRL program.

Veivers said it was an ideal time for an NRL club to be looking to expand into the Sunshine Coast.